Poptimist ahoy

Earlier this month, I spent a few days in Hobart while attending the conference.This is my favourite photo from the trip, taken on the first afternoon during a random walkabout. In the background is the conference venue, the UTAS School of Art - a converted jam factory on the waterfront.

Brightly painted fishing boats and floating restaurants dominate Hobart harbour - rather a nice change from the hulking great container ships that are prominent in Lyttelton. It was also nice to spend s ...

Major overhaul planned for New Brighton

The quake-damaged, graffiti-ridden Christchurch seaside suburb of New Brighton may soon get a big boost, after decades of neglect.

Seeking Mary Thomas

We have had a message from someone called Mary K looking for Mary Thomas, whom she used to correspond with in the 1970s. Mary Thomas was one of 12 children and may have lived in the St Albans area or …

Christchurch school crime drops by 30 percent

A massive 30 per cent drop in school crime could be to do with the comradeship inspired by earthquakes, a principal has said.

Chch retailers relieved after sales

Many Christchurch retailers are relieved with a bumper boxing day week, after customers turned out for massive sales.

Tradies ending Christchurch man drought

Single ladies of Canterbury have something to celebrate as Christchurch comes back from the dust.

Schools shake-up PR job from hell

The merger of Christchurch schools and the launch of an earthquake recovery plan were among the toughest public relations jobs in 2012.

Education shakeup PR job from hell

The merger of Christchurch schools and the launch of an earthquake recovery plan were among the toughest public relations jobs in 2012.

Gondola due to reopen in March

Young designer committed to ChCh

Constructive role a source of fulfilment

After studying architectural design, Will King decided he wanted to be part of the rebuild.

Foreigners flood in for Chch rebuild

Christchurch's international work force is ramping up.

Social recovery largely ignored

Foreigners flood in for city rebuild

Christchurch's international work force is ramping up.

Latest Pleasant News – Out Now

The latest edition of Pleasant News is being delivered to your letterbox this week but in case you don’t receive a copy here is a link to it minus a [...]

Ferrymead Bridge update

Please see here for the latest update on the Ferrymead Bridge Ferrymead Bridge Update 19 December 2012

The Last Word for 2012

Mt Pleasant Farmers Market The Market that never closes. Open all through the holidays. Trading hours tomorrow and on the 29th December will be 9am to 1pm. Returning to 10am [...]

Quake awards presented

A number of organisations and individuals with a St Albans connection have been recognised in the second and final quake awards presented on December 18. Emma Twaddell from the St Albans Residents’ Association, Helen Ross from the Edgeware Village Group …

2012 Days of Xmas

Another year, another version!

Christchurch demolition crews get into festive spirit

Demolition crews around Christchurch have been busy - not knocking down buildings - but raising funds for the city mission's lunch.

Kiwi churches celebrate Christmas

New Zealand churches have celebrated Christmas today with services around the country.

Christchurch 2012: Rebuilding a shattered city

The aftershocks have all but stopped, but few in Christchurch dare mention the easing of the earth's fury."We're all desperately trying not to invoke the potential for another disaster," says Mayor Bob Parker.Instead, after two...

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas.  Back on the 7th of January unless something out of the ordinary occurs before them. This year a Persian Christmas card, from farsinet. Quite fitting really, as the three wise men were Persians. .

Skate Jam in St Albans Park

Learn how to use a skateboard and win prizes in the St Albans Skate Jam. The event is being held at St Albans Park on the afternoon of January 26. Similar events are being held at other venues around Christchurch …

Forsyth Barr building may be repaired

The Forsyth Barr building's owners have not yet made a decision to demolish or repair the high rise across from Victoria Square.

Quake weary staff get Xmas wings

A travel company has given 100 of its staff affected by the Christchurch earth-quakes a special Christmas bonus. House of Travel has paid more than $100,000 for the Canterbury staff to fly to the Gold Coast with a partner and stay...

Rivals compete for central site

The race to develop City Mall is all on with one would-be developer confirming its first land purchase and a new contender emerging for the site.

Robin Hood in Abberley Park

Abberley Park will stand in for Sherwood Forest when Harlequin Players produce the Adventures of Robin Hood for a week in mid January. The musical written by playwright Roger Hall, contains lots of dancing and sword fights. BYO picnic. There …

Quakes reduce mental health stigma

Canterbury's earthquakes have helped break down some of the stigma around mental illness, says a new Christchurch mental health leader.

Cathedral Square Walkway Open for Christmas and New Year

Two-year deadline to start AIG rebuilds

New Zealand's biggest insurer plans to finish all its earthquake rebuild and repair work by 2015.

Two-year deadline to start IAG rebuilds

New Zealand's biggest insurer plans to finish all its earthquake rebuild and repair work by 2015.

EQC song

The Press has an article on a song about EQC and an embedded video.  Both funny and true - here. .

Quake-affected couple suffer second devastating loss

A couple who left Christchurch after losing everything in the February quake have now had their business destroyed again in a devastating fire.

Year passes since last damaging quake

Twelve months have passed since the last damaging earthquakes hit Canterbury. 

Sacred relic found in convent wreckage after Christchurch quake

The nuns at Nazareth House convent in Christchurch have received an early Christmas present - the discovery of a sacred ceremonial vessel.

Day 669 - Addington Action shut down over holiday period

Addington Action has now closed for Christmas - New Year Holiday.

Messages can be left and will be answered after this date.

The office will reopen on Monday 7 January 2013.

The volunteer work crew will resume repairs of uninsured homes on 7 January. Volunteers are very welcome.

The first meeting of Addington Action members is 6pm, Thursday 31 January.

The Christchurch Fuit 7 Veggie Co-op will resume on Wednesday 13 February.

EQC frustrations inspire song

A Christchurch band has written a song that parodies the many frustrations experienced by homeowners who are unhappy with the Earthquake Commission (EQC). 

Priceless relic found in convent rubble

Catholic nuns from the under-deconstruction Nazareth House convent in Christchurch have been given a surprise early Christmas present.

The Ruggie Principles, Human Rights and the Insurance Industry?

Is the insurance Industry aware of its duties to the people of Canterbury under The Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights? These principles, known as the Ruggie Principles are  endorsed by the UN Human Rights Council and later incorporated into OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (2011), ISO 26000, the new Sustainability Policy of the International Finance Corporation, and the European Commissions’ new Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy. The principles a ...

Day 668 - last day for 2012

Today, Simon Donaldson, Mike Peters and Paul Pink worked at 124 Garlands Rd, removing the boxing from yesterday's pour, backfilled with soil, and framed up the gate entrance. 20 tough native plants were planted at the entrance. This was the last day of work for the work crew till Monday 7 January 2013.

Sarah Miles: the Christchurch Fiasco

EQC has changed it’s Apportionment information yet again, and removed an important review provision

Yesterday EQC made major changes to the wording of its web page on apportionment (here). The information now available is less than what was put up on the 4th of December. If you are new to apportionment,  information on the current page will not give you as good a picture of what apportionment is as the earlier material. Of great importance is removal of information from the earlier version on

Engineer complaints force full inquiry

An Institute of Professional Engineers (IPENZ) investigation into Christchurch complaints against Earthquake Commission (EQC) engineer Graeme Robinson has been escalated into a full inquiry.

Feb 22 service venue chosen

Latimer Square will be Christchurch's main public venue for next year's second earthquake anniversary commemorations.

Southern Response - Build Programme update

Southern Response have published a web page explaining how they intend going about “co-ordinating our repair and rebuild programme including a broad timeframe for when your home will be repaired or rebuilt.” The page is here and covers: the pre-design queue (which is explained) the build queue (which is explained) even spread of builds (over the different technical categories of land)

What we've learned from the quakes

Life lessons from the heart

What have the past two years taught us? What lessons have people learnt from the turmoil which began with that first earthquake on September 4, 2010, and in the time since?

Edgeware Village plan previewed

We’ve had the master plan for the CBD and now it is the turn of the suburbs. The city council’s

TC3 land geotechnical investigations are completed

EQC have announced that drilling of TC3 land has now been completed. The media release (here) reads: EQC’s geotechnical investigations into green zone Technical Category 3 (TC3) land have been completed – meaning approximately 10,500 Christchurch homes with foundation damage are a major step closer to being able to be repaired or replaced. The geotechnical programme began in March 2012 in the

IAG – all repairs and rebuilds to commence in the next two years

IAG have issued a media release announcing, in general terms, the timetable for their repairs and rebuilds. IAG is providing further certainty for earthquake affected customers, confirming when in the next two years all residential property reinstatements will begin – with the last scheduled to start no later than the last quarter of 2014. IAG’s residential rebuild and repair programme involves

Coming from CERA soon - a web page devoted to community issues and questions.

CERA now have a web page to cover community issues and questions. Still in the early stages of development it will be based upon questions “developed by community groups for agencies working on the earthquake recovery to answer. Questions and answers are updated here online and a hard copy version will be available in January 2013.” The page, which has two sets of questions but no answers as yet,

Get growing for edible garden awards

Shirley Papanui Community Board is piloting the edible garden awards so get growing over summer and your vegetable patch or fruit trees could earn you an award. The competition, organised in conjunction with the Canterbury Horticultural Society, is aimed particularly …

Day 667 - pour 3

Today Simon Donaldson, John and Mike Peters poured more pathway at 124 Garlands Rd. Simon used the plate compactor on the AP20 and John did the screeding off of the concrete.

Demo company to restore Christchurch heritage site

A demolition company's stepped in to save of one of Christchurch’s prized heritage buildings.

Cathedral Square to open over Christmas-New Year

Cathedral Square in Christchurch will partially reopen over the Christmas-New Year period, allowing the public to see first-hand the dramatic change that has taken place in the heart of the city.The red zone cordon in place at the...

Christchurch stagnates….And so another year passes…..

Locked out of undamaged factory for 668 days…. Do we own our building…..142 days who knows…? The business community is swirling with rumours about the CCDU. Unfortunately I can not tell you most of them as I will end up …

Peterborough Apartments saved

The historic Peterborough Apartments will be saved after construction company Ceres bought the earthquake-damaged building and pledged to spend at least $25 million on its restoration.

Cathedral Square to partially reopen

Christchurch's Cathedral Square will partially reopen over the holiday break.

Anxiety Topic Meeting: Anxiety and Natural Therapies

Tuesday January 29th:- a Natural Therapist to be advised Many of us have a fraught relationship with anxiety medications. We know there are alternative approaches widely accepted as being effective for reducing anxiety, diet and exercise are examples, so too is counselling and some therapies. Less well accepted are ‘natural’ therapies, often this is because...